A historic British jewellery factory that appears frozen in time has re-opened to the public.
The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham was once a jewellery making firm, though it stopped trading in 1981. When the factory closed, workers put down their tools and it was left as it was, becoming a ‘time capsule’. It became a museum in 1992, but has been shuttered since 2020 when it closed for repairs and maintenance.
Now the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is about to make its grand return. The museum first returned as a pop-up during the Jewellery Quarter Festival in July, but now the former Smith and Pepper workshop is open to visitors every Thursday to Saturday offering guided tours of the historic shop. Repair works will continue on the site during the week when it is closed to visitors.
As well as exploring the preserved workshop, visitors can discover the 200-year-old history of Birmingham’s jewellery quarter in the museum’s self-guided gallery.
Rob Lewis, Director of Transformation at Birmingham Museum Trust said: ‘We are delighted to be reaching this significant milestone. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the public to the pop-up opening during the Jewellery Quarter Festival and we are now looking forward to welcoming visitors through the doors on a regular basis to explore the story of the region’s unique heritage.’
Pre-booking is recommended. Tickets cost £7.50 for adults and £4 for children, and are available to book online here.
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